Expect the Unexpected
by pride97
Summary: Hermione's parents die in a car accident, she is left to pick up the pieces of their live and makes some shocking discoveries about herself. What will she do? Who will she turn to?
1. Chapter 1

**Expect the Unexpected**

**Summary**: Hermione's parents die in a car accident, she is left to pick up the pieces of their live and makes some shocking discoveries about herself. What will she do? Who will she turn to?

**Author's Note**: I became inspired to do this story after reading a couple of similar plot lines on other stories. I'm sure people will figure out right away the basic plot, but I'm going in a different direction than the previously posted stories. This is alternative universe! I have changed characters pasts to suit my storyline. I am going to try my darndest to keep the characters personalities, as a whole, as close to what J.K. Rowling wrote. Also, as this is AU, there are some characters I have decided not to kill off (as they were some of my favorites).

I have gone through and did a spell check, but if I missed anything please let me know and I'll make the appropriate changes.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing of Harry Potter.

* * *

**October 17, 1979**

The air crackled in the house as screaming could be heard from the bedroom. The visitors waited, anxiously, for the news. After many hours a man rushed into the room.

"Lucius, come quickly!"

Lucius rose from his seat, with his wife Narcissa right behind. They followed the man to the master bedroom. They saw the midwife holding one baby and the woman in bed holding another.

"It's twins. A boy and a girl" the man stated.

Lucius calmly walked over to the bed, "Carolina, let me have her."

Through her tears, Carolina nodded, kissed her daughter and handed her to Lucius.

"Martino, we must act quickly to keep her safe."

Martino nodded and the two men quickly exited the room with the precious bundle in Lucius's arms.

Narcissa took the baby boy from the midwife and walked to Carolina. She carefully placed the baby in her arms.

"Have you thought of a name?"

"Yes, we decided on Blaise. Blaise Alexander Zabini."

"Welcome to the world Blaise Alexander Zabini."

* * *

**September 1, 1998**

Hermione Granger was excited!

Today was the first day of her last year at Hogwarts. While in all technicalities last year should have been her final year, but leaving to search for Horcruxes with Harry and Ron and then the Second Wizarding War, her schooling became a distant priority. Now that the war was over, she was being given the opportunity to complete her seventh year. In fact, all students were given the opportunity to complete (or in some cases redo) their seventh year. On top of being able to complete her education, she has been selected as head girl.

After the war ended, she asked Professor Snape to restore her parents memories. With their memories of her firmly in place, she spent the course of a week explaining everything that had happened over the past year. At first, her parents were incredibly upset that she had deceived them by erasing their memories of her but eventually their anger wore off into understanding of why she did what she felt was necessary to keep them safe. She had spent the summer relaxing and getting to know her parents even better. As they had moved to Australia, and had a successful dental practice there, Hermione spent the summer in Australia.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Hermione made her way to the head girl and boy's compartment on the train. She arrived prior to the head boy, whomever he was, stowed her stuff quickly and made her way to the prefects car. One of her tasks as head girl was to assign the prefects to specific cars to ensure the ride to Hogwarts was safe and orderly. She quickly assigned cars to the prefects who were present and headed back to her compartment to await the head boy.

She had barely settled herself into the seat when the door opened and in walked Draco Malfoy. To say she was shocked was an understatement. While she knew the Draco's grades rivaled hers, she had made the assumption that he wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts for to redo his seventh year.

"Malfoy"

"Granger"

Malfoy quietly stowed his luggage and sat down across from her.

"I already handed out assignments to the prefects" Hermione informed him.

"Okay" Draco responded quietly.

Hermione took Draco in. While she would never admit this allowed, Draco had developed into an incredibly handsome young man. During the past three years she had developed a slight crush on him.

There was something different about him today though.

She hadn't seen Draco since that night at Malfoy Manor.

"Draco, I know that this might be a little late, but I want to thank you for not turning Harry over to Voldemort after we had been captured by the snatchers."

Draco looked up, with surprise on his face, "um...you're welcome"

"Can I ask you a question?" Draco nodded and she continued "why didn't you turn Harry over? You were a death eater. Why did you help us?"

Draco sighed and stared out the window at the passing landscape for a moment before answering.

"I never wanted to be a death eater. My father had failed Voldemort and his punishment was that I was to be made a death eater. I received the dark mark on my sixteenth birthday, such a great present." Draco paused before continuing, "when the snatchers brought you guys to us, I truly felt awful. Secretly I was hoping and even praying that the famed "golden trio" would be successful in taking the dark lord down. I couldn't admit that to anyone, but I knew that if Voldemort knew that Harry was in the manor, that it would be over, I didn't want that to happen."

Hermione nodded at his explanation, she had a gut feeling that he had been forced into being a death eater and had somewhat redeemed himself in her eyes by not admitting that Harry was with her.

"I hated seeing my aunt torture you Hermione. Obviously we were never friends but I wouldn't begrudge anyone to Bellatrix's craziness. I am truly sorry that happened to you."

"Draco, that wasn't your fault. You had no control over Bellatrix. I don't blame you for what she did to me."

"I also want to apologize for everything I ever said or did to you. I should have known better. This war has definitely shown me the error of my ways. I would really like if we could start over and possibly be friends, especially since we are head boy and head girl and have to share a dormitory."

Hermione smiled, to which Draco reciprocated. "I'd like that"

Draco put out his right arm, "Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy, Slytherin"

Hermione giggled and shook her head, extending her right arm and shaking his hand. "Hi Draco. I'm Hermione Granger, Gryffindor. It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

**October 15, 1998**

"I swear to god I'm going to kill the first years!" Draco yelled as he came through the portrait door to the head common room.

Hermione, sitting in front of the roaring fire reading a book, burst into laughter.

"What happened now?"

Draco threw himself onto one of the couches, "Well it seems that the "house unity" program is working far better than expectations as I just caught about 25 first years in one of the empty classrooms. There was firewhiskey everywhere! They even managed to get into Snape's supply and were concocting potions. They didn't even know what they were making! They were just throwing ingredients into the cauldren's and drinking up. I had to take points from every house and send seven of them to the infirmary. Bloody idiots!"

"Were the kids you took to the infirmary okay?" Hermione asked.

"Madame Pomfrey thinks they'll make a full recovery but it might take awhile. I had to wake up Severus, he is examining the leftover potions as we speak trying to determine what they made."

Hermione nodded and went back to reading her book.

"That looks new?"

"Yeah, my mum and dad sent it, birthday present."

"When's your birthday?" Draco asked.

"It's in two days." Hermione answered.

"Blaise's birthday is the seventeenth as well. We got permission to go to Hogsmeade, you should join us."

"I don't want to intrude on your party for Blaise."

"You wouldn't be. Blaise has actually invited Harry and Ron along, if you can believe it. They have agreed to come, you should too."

Blaise inviting Harry and Ron to celebrate his birthday did indeed surprise Hermione. Blaise, Harry and Ron had quite a few classes together and had developed a tentative friendship with the Slytherin. They discovered that Blaise wasn't as bad as they thought he would be. Blaise abhorred the dark lord and his family had gone to extreme lengths to stay out of Voldemort's control. Blaise had informed Harry and Ron that one reason the dark lord had essentially "ignored" the Zabini family was because of Lucius Malfoy. Lucius had integrated himself as a "key player" to the dark lord and in his own way controlled who Voldemort allowed into the "circle".

"Why not, you only turn 18 once!"

Two nights later the ragtag group of teens entered the Three Broomsticks to celebrate two birthdays. In tow were Draco, Hermione, Blaise, Pansy, Theo, Ginny, Luna, Ron, Harry and Neville. There were some awkward moments when they all got there, as prior to the war Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't get along. All it took was Luna starting a rousing version of "happy birthday" and the teens began behaving like teens. Houses were forgotten about and conversations ensued. By the end of the night a random stranger would assume they were all friends. Prior to heading back to Hogwarts they all actually agreed that they had had a great time and that they should do it again. They made plans for the next Hogsmeade day, which would be in November. Hermione went to bed that night tipsy but incredibly blessed with her life thus far.

* * *

**November 5, 1998**

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall walked briskly through the halls of Hogwarts, past anxious first years who trembled at the sight of seeing her to the seventh years who quickly got out of her way.

She saw the student she needed to speak too standing about fifty feet away. She was deep in conversation with her roommate. Minerva approached the two students.

"Miss Granger, I need to speak to you, urgently"

Hermione stopped what she was saying to Draco and looked over to the headmistress.

"What's wrong, am I in trouble?"

"You did nothing wrong Miss Granger, I just received some urgent news that I must share with you, privately."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later Draco." Hermione said and followed McGonagall to an empty classroom at the end of the hall.

Draco knew he should have gone off to class, but there was something in McGonagall's tone and facial features that told him that whatever news Hermione was about to receive, it wasn't going to be good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Expect the Unexpected**

**Summary**: Hermione's parents die in a car accident, she is left to pick up the pieces of their live and makes some shocking discoveries about herself. What will she do? Who will she turn to?

**Author's Note**: Alternative Universe story. Thank you to my first 2 reviewers from chapter 1- Shorty653 and wintersong1954. So this chapter is kind of where Draco might be a bit OOC for some people, but since I'm all about Draco having changed after the war and the fact that he and Hermione are now friends...well just go with it. Thank you to all the people who are following or have favorite this story. You rock!

Please don't forget to review! I want to know what you guys think!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of Harry Potter.

* * *

**November 5, 1998**

Hermione took a seat at one of the empty tables with McGonagall sitting across from her.

"Miss Granger, there is no easy way to say this." Headmistress McGonagall paused before continuing "Approximately fifteen minutes ago I received an owl from the ministry in Australia. Your parents were in a car accident."

Hermione inhaled a large breath, attempting to keep calm, "are they okay?" she quietly asked.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, they aren't. The authorities did all they could, but they were killed in the accident. I'm very sorry."

A blood curdling scream filled with anguish ripped out of Hermione's throat as she collapsed to the ground in tears. Before McGonagall could respond, Draco came bursting through the doors.

"Hermione?"

He ran over to where she was curled into a ball on the floor and quickly sat on the ground next to her, pulling her body to him.

"Shhh, it's okay." he whispered.

"It's not okay, it will never be okay" Hermione whispered through her tears.

Draco looked up questioningly to the headmistress, "her parents were killed in a car accident." McGonagall stated before quickly and quietly leaving the room.

* * *

Draco continued to hold Hermione and whisper words of comfort. He eventually noticed that she had cried herself to sleep. He carefully adjusted their bodies and picked her up.

Draco ignored the curious looks he received from his peers as he carried a sleeping Hermione.

He had just reached the portrait to the dorm when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Harry and Ron approaching. Draco gave to two Gryffindors a look that indicated to follow him inside but to remain quiet.

Harry and Ron waited in the common room as Draco laid Hermione on her bed. Before beginning to talk, he cast a silencing charm on the room, so they wouldn't wake her.

"What the hell happened?" Harry asked.

"What did you do to Hermione?" Ron accused.

Draco rolled his eyes at Ron's accusation. "First off, Ronald, I did nothing to Hermione." Draco turned to face Harry, "McGonagall found Hermoine after advanced transfiguration. She told her that she had urgent news. I just knew something wasn't right so I waited around. Not five minutes later I heard Hermione scream. I ran into the room and found her curled into a ball on the floor in tears. McGonagall informed me that Hermione's parents died in a car accident."

Harry and Ron immediately collapsed onto the couch, with Draco taking a seat across from them.

"Oh my goodness"

"Poor Hermione"

"I just held her while she cried. What else could I do? When I realized she had fallen asleep..." Draco trailed off.

The boys sat in silence, not quite sure what to say to each other. Draco eventually spoke up.

"Ron, why don't you go and tell Ginny what happened and send an owl to your parents. I'm sure that Hermione would want them to know and I'm sure they would want to be there to support her. Harry, can you go to the dungeons and let Blaise and everyone else know that Hermione and I won't be joining them for Hogsmeade this weekend. Maybe they can come here and hang out for a bit, just sit and support Hermione."

The boys nodded and left the head's dorm on their missions.

After they had left, Draco took down the silencing charm and went to check on Hermione. She was still asleep. He headed to the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, as he knew he wouldn't be heading down to the great hall for lunch.

His heart went out to Hermione. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to find out that both of your parents had died. While he wasn't close to his father, Draco couldn't imagine how he would feel if his mother died. He'd probably be a wreck just like Hermione was.

Draco eventually settled himself with a book in front of the fire, listening for any sound coming from Hermione's room. At about three o'clock he heard some noise coming from her room, she was crying. Draco dropped his book and rushed up to her room.

Hermione was still laying in bed, her back to him. Her chest convulsing with sobs. Without hesitating, Draco walked over to her bed and laid down next to her. He pulled her body towards him and placed her head on his chest. He felt her tears soak through his shirt. With one hand he began rubbing her hair and the other her back.

"Shhh. I'm here Hermione. Shhh"

They laid there for what seemed like hours to Draco, but he wasn't quite sure, it could have been only minutes. Hermione's tears began to subside.

"Thank you" she whispered

"You're welcome" Draco replied "are you hungry"

Hermione sat up with Draco following, "I can't go to the great hall, I can't"

"Okay, why don't I have the house elves get us something, what would you like?"

"Just a bowl of chicken soup." she replied.

"Okay. You stay put, I'll go get you some soup and bring it back."

Hermione nodded her appreciation and Draco left the room. He was back within five minutes with her dinner and sat quietly in her desk chair while she ate.

"It seems like a dream" Hermione said all of a sudden. "I wish it was a dream but I know it's not and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to act or even what I'm supposed to feel."

"I wish it was a dream Hermione. I honestly can't imagine what you are going through. I'm not close to my father, but I am close to my mother and I'd be absolutely devastated if I received word that she had died." Draco paused before continuing "As for what you are supposed to do, I'm sure McGonagall will let you know. As for your feelings, if you want to scream, you scream. If you need to cry, you cry. Eventually, you will start feeling better. You will never get over the loss but you will feel better."

Hermione smiled as she finished her soup and Draco placed the empty bowl on her desk.

"Well, I'll take this back to the kitchen and I'll leave you to get ready for bed and to rest. If you need anything, you know I'm just across the hall."

Draco picked up the bowl and headed for the door, he was about to exit the room when Hermione called his name.

"Draco"

"Yeah"

"I don't want this to come across weird but would you do something for me?"

Draco nodded.

"Will you hold me tonight? I just don't think I can be alone."

"Sure. Let me put this in the kitchen and change." with that Draco exited the room.

Hermione quickly changed out of her uniform and into a tank top and pajama bottoms. Draco came back into her room about fifteen minutes later wearing a t-shirt and pajama bottoms as well. He slipped under the covers and laid down. Hermione laid down next to him, again placing her head on his chest and listening to the soothing sound of his heart beat. It wasn't long before she found herself in a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The following days were horrible for Hermione, the one bright spot in her life was that everyone rallied behind her. Hell, even Pansy was being supportive! Pansy had been the one to stay with her while the boys had Quidditch practice. At first Pansy just sat across from Hermione in the common room reading a book, but when she saw that Hermione was crying, she immediately came over, held her hand and rubbed her back. They then spent the remainder of the day until the boys returned talking about anything and everything. The two girls realized that they actually had quite a lot in common, but the prejudices that Pansy had been raised to believe had clouded her judgement.

McGonagall had arranged for Hermione to visit her parents home in Australia the next weekend. She had begged that her friends be allowed to accompany her, as she didn't feel she would be up to the funeral and cleaning out her parents home by herself. Thankfully, all her friends agreed to come with her. She wasn't looking forward to the task ahead of her, but she knew it had to be done.

* * *

**November 14, 1998**

The funeral for Hermione's parents was simple and tasteful. Hermione was able to speak about how loving her parents were and how much she was going to miss them. She was beyond grateful that her friends were willing to attend the funeral, to support her.

As Hermione and Harry were the only two of the group who knew how to drive a car, they drove the group back to her parents home. Once there, Harry and Draco began assigning groups to different rooms of the house to begin the packing process. Blaise and Theo took the kitchen; Pansy, Neville, and Luna took the family room and den; Harry and Ginny took the master bedroom while Hermione and Draco took the attic.

Draco and Hermione set to work quietly. Hermione had instructed him that all the miscellaneous knick-knacks would be donated, along with the furniture and clothing. They really needed to go through her parents documents to determine what Hermione needed to keep and what needed to be tossed.

Draco was at one end of the attic, while Hermione was at the other. Each going through the boxes. Draco opened the next box and froze with what he saw. Inside was an expandable file folder and written on the cover was "Hermione's adoption paperwork".

"Oh my god" Draco whispered, "Hermione you better come over here."

Hermione looked up from the box she was digging through, "what is it?"

"You need to see it for yourself."

Hermione dropped the items she was holding and walked over to Draco, who handed her the file folder. Hermione looked at the folder and gasped.

"What the hell?"

Hermione sank to the floor, Draco sitting down next to her. She slowly opened the file folder and began pulling documents out. Draco rubbed her back as she read through her adoption records, health reports from the adoption agency and even how she had been left at the entrance of a church.

"I just can't believe this." Hermione whispered, "why didn't they ever tell me?"

"Perhaps they were waiting for the right moment, but it just didn't happen." Draco replied.

Before Hermione could respond Blaise and Theo entered the attic.

"Hermione we have finished up with the kitchen, is there anything else we can do?" Theo stated.

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked

"I just found out that I was adopted."


End file.
